Custom Factory Cabinetry: Factors Affecting Cost
July 16, 2014Finishing Touches
July 30, 2014Few rooms require a trained designer’s eye like a kitchen; it’s truly one of the most complicated rooms in the house. Before you can even start to think about granite versus marble countertops, or which custom cabinetry company you’re going to use, there are big issues in play—electrical, plumbing, heat and cooling—that need to be addressed. Kitchen remodels are expensive, and time consuming, which can make them intimidating—and which makes using a kitchen designer such a great idea.
Average Kitchen Renovation Cost
To give you an idea of what the average kitchen renovation cost is, we turned to this handy online remodeling calculator. In 2013-14, the average cost of a major kitchen remodel (with semi-custom cabinets) in a mid-range project was $50,991; the average cost for an upscale remodel (top-of-the-line cherry cabinets with plenty of extras) was $104,706.
There are a seemingly infinite number of decisions between the decision to renovate, and $104,706—a designer can help you navigate those decisions with confidence.
Commit to Custom
When we say commit to custom, we don’t just mean custom cabinets—we also mean your lifestyle. Don’t just think about how you want your kitchen to look—think about how you want it to work. Do you have large, hard-to-store kitchen equipment, like a canner? Do you want cabinets to double as display, which would call for glass or open fronts? Perhaps you have high-end extras in mind—a wine refrigerator, a wood-fired oven, an island sink—that will surely require a designer’s expertise.
The Long Game
When you are describing your dream kitchen to a designer, don’t forget to think about the future—as you age, will your kitchen come along for the ride? A designer can help steer you toward trans-generational design (“aging-in-place”) features that level the playing fields of age and ability. Create a kid-friendly kitchen with features like pull-out steps in front of the sink, and multi-level countertops and cutting surfaces; keep an eye toward aging-in-place by thinking about cabinet height and depth, and flooring options that reduce impact on joints, such as cork.
In the Details
It’s not just the big picture, but in those devilish details, where the value of a kitchen designer also reveals itself. For example, lighting—a kitchen needs to be both well-lit, and intelligently-lit. While you’re focused on the showpiece chandelier for the breakfast nook, your designer will ensure that your workspaces are lit to chef-ready specifications.
You don’t have to tackle a kitchen-sized renovation on your own—Cabinets & Designs is here to help. Stop for a free estimate with one of our certified kitchen designers today!